A report out this morning documenting the downward spiral that Suzuki is caught in hints strongly that the Japanese automaker is looking to exit the North American marketplace. For starters, sales are down. From a total of just over 100,000 in 2007, Suzuki moved just 26,618 units last year and is poised to deliver an…
The ongoing saga between Volkswagen and Suzuki may last a bit longer. The German automaker is facing arbitration brought by the Japanese automaker to end their partnership, and VW said that the London court handling the proceedings won’t reach a decision before next year. The break up has been a rough one when back in…
A few years ago, Italian auto giant Fiat was very close to partnering up with General Motors. However, that deal went sour at the last minute and a few years after that, Fiat bought a big chunk of Chrysler in its quest to have a large slice of the American market. More recently, the company…
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is open to the possibility of a partnership with another automaker to help Chrysler-Fiat’s ailing sales in Europe, with Suzuki and Mazda being cited by the CEO as viable options. Speaking about the possibility of new partners, Marchionne said, ”We’re not looking, but we are open [to offers],” at a discussion with…
Trucks aren’t known for fuel economy, but finding a pickup that isn’t a gas hungry beast is a top concern for many truck shoppers. So if you’re looking for a good way to save money, both in terms of overall vehicle cost and especially at the pumps, check out this list of our Top 10…
Suzuki is starting to promote its display at next month’s Geneva Auto Show, which will feature two new cars aimed at reducing their owner’s carbon footprint. While both vehicles are designed for efficiency, they use different means to achieve that end. The Swift Range Extender goes about this with a strategy similar to the Chevy Volt…
Titled “Sled”, Suzuki will be showing off their all-wheel drive 2012 Kizashi sport sedan for this year’s Super Bowl commercial. The Kizashi is also the same vehicle Suzuki showed off in their Super Bowl ad last year, which was the company’s first ever. The ad was developed by Siltanen & Partners Advertising, and hopes to…
Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest auto company, is set to unveil the new XAα concept car at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo. While earlier reports suggested that the new concept will eventually replace Maruti Suzuki’s highly successful Jimny SUV, Maruti Suzuki managing director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi explained that, “the Concept XAα is designed for…
There’s the Honda N-Box and the Daihatsu Pico, but nothing at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show can compare to the extreme levels of cuteness on display at the Suzuki booth. In total, Suzuki has presented three new concept cars, ranging from near-production to downright absurd. In the latter category is the Q Concept (above), which…
The honeymoon period didn’t last long for Suzuki and Volkswagen and now the Japanese automaker has filed for divorce. In an official statement Suzuki Motor Corp. has announced it will seek arbitration in an attempt to get back the shares the German auto giant currently holds in the Japanese small car manufacturer. “The arbitration proceedings…
The soap opera between Suzuki and Volkswagen has been ongoing for almost a year and now the Japanese automaker is looking to back out. Suzuki wants to buy back all the 19.9% of its shares that VW currently owns and that if the German automaker does not comply, Suzuki will seek mediation. According to a…
While Suzuki cars might not be very popular in North America, in its home market of Japan, they are a very big deal indeed. So to serve their home market, Suzuki is bringing a trio of concept cars for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. These are the Regina, Q Concept and the Swift EV Hybrid….
Participating in an auto show is an expensive business. To rent the right amount of space for your display, then have a stage constructed to represent the brands image, plus hiring all the staff needed at the booth to answer questions from the public. It’s all a very big and expensive affair which can easily…
You can sound polite and say “inexpensive” but if you’re strapped for cash, the most important question when shopping for a new car is: what’s the cheapest car on the market? AutoGuide has got the answer, along with the nine runners up. Toyota‘s warmed-over Yaris makes the 10th spot on our list with a base…
A public disagreement between Volkswagen and Suzuki in early September left the Japanese automaker wanting to end its partnership, but that might not happen. In a news release Monday, the company said it “will retain its stake in Suzuki Motor Corp. unchanged.” Suzuki requested its shares be returned in light of what representatives say are…
VW on the other hand, claims Suzuki also violated terms of the contract by failing to disclose that it had done a deal with FIAT to supply engines, yet Chairman Suzuki maintains that this allegation “significantly disparaged Suzuki’s honor” and continues to seek an apology and retraction from the Wolfsburg company.
Suzuki may be an also ran in America, but in India, their Maruti Suzuki partnership can boast the title of “best-selling car” with their Alto subcompact. With a population of 1 billion people, the Indian market is a significant one, and the Japanese auto maker is facing competition not just from home grown efforts like…
After a two year alliance between Volkswagen and Suzuki, relations and communication quickly deteriorated earlier this September after Suzuki had gone to Fiat to supply their engines. Volkswagen, upset at the deal, very publically claimed it was a serious breach of Suzuki’s contract. Now, Suzuki Chairman and CEO, Mr. Osamu Suzuki, is demanding Volkswagen to…
Nonetheless VW believes that an alliance is still possible, though the company’s Chief Financial Officer Hans Dieter Poetsch said on a July 28 conference call that the partnership is currently “under review.”
As a brand Suzuki has had limited success in North America, selling rebadged GM crossovers when it probably should have been pushing the types of cars it knows best – small cars. While the Swift used to be offered here, its days passed long ago (apart from the rebadged old Daewoo offered in Canada). The…
With the Volkswagen/Suzuki tie-up all but officially over, the latest move by Volkswagen is sure to end it. After its first full review of the “partnership” Volkswagen has announced it is, “serving notice of an infringement by Suzuki of the cooperation agreement.” The reason for the notice is a result of Suzuki’s decision to purchase…
Young love can turn into a bitter divorce faster than you can say “Rocktan.” That at least appears to be the case with the relatively recent partnership between Germany’s world-domination seeking Volkswagen and the minicar experts from Japan, Suzuki. Like many a relationship gone sour, the problem appears to be communication. “Volkswagen is not talking…
In 2010, Volkswagen took a twenty-percent stake in Suzuki, and virtually no progress has been made from the alliance since then. Neither side has been thrilled with the coalition and the two automakers have even stated cultural differences as being a factor in the failed relationship. Both automakers had different goals: VW wanted to expand…
Each market has its favorites when it comes to cars. People in the Middle-East prefer powerful SUV’s like the Mercedes-Benz G-class, while in America the pick-up truck reigns supreme, especially the Ford F-150. In Japan, the most popular car is neither big, nor powerful, but it fills the needs of most of its motorists. Since…
